Landon senior Nathan Furgeson is the last member in a legacy of siblings and their father which covers football, wrestling, lacrosse and baseball.
Furgeson ended his wrestling season two weeks ago as a private schools' state champion and Maryland's second-ranked 175-pounder by Legacy Wrestling behind Linganore's undefeated Class 4A-3A state champion senior Ethan Arneson (37-0 record).
A three-sport athlete, Furgeson was named the Interstate Athletic Conference’s Player Of The Year as a football quarterback and safety on the Bears’ IAC co-championship team as well as Landon's Most Valuable Wrestler.
"Nate was a team player this year," said Andy Katz, in his 29th season coaching the Bears. "Nathan bounced between 165 and 175 pounds depending on where the team needed him. He's one of the most competitive wrestlers I've ever coached."
But Nathan already has begun his final season of lacrosse, which is the sport he will play at the University of Delaware.
A defensive midfielder for the Bears, Nathan is a four-year starter in a program that has been a conference title game runner-up twice and reached the semifinals on the other occasion.
Nathan's oldest brother, John Allan, 23, played football, lacrosse and also wrestled at Damascus as did his next oldest sibling, Tim, 22. Each was a grappler for their father at Damascus. John Allan played football at McDaniel College and placed as high as third in the state as a wrestler, and Tim is a linebacker at Villanova and a two-time state champion.
John Allan and Timothy both left wrestling to play football in college.
Nathan will do the same in lacrosse.
But the decision was no less a difficult one.
"Wrestling has been a roller coaster of emotions for me. It's been a blend of tough practices and deeply rewarding experiences. Watching my brothers wrestle as I grew up taught me invaluable lessons," said Nathan Furgeson, 18. "It taught me about dedication and what it truly takes to succeed in the sport. I absorbed their techniques and strategies, and then applied them in the practice room. I was their biggest fan and never missed a match."
Nathan's father, John Furgeson, played high school football, wrestled, and participated in baseball and track at Gaithersburg High before graduating in 1989. John played college football at Geneva College and Towson University before returning to Montgomery County to coach Damascus High in wrestling.
"I was a sophomore in 1986 when Gaithersburg won states in football. I played tight end and linebacker. I wrestled for two years and lost in the blood rounds at regionals," John Furgeson said. "I also played first base in baseball. I returned as a volunteer coach in football in 1992 when Gaithersburg won a state championship."
John Furgeson has coached high school wrestling for 27 years, 16 of which have been at Damascus, where he has guided the Swarmin’ Hornets to eight of their 10 state dual meet crowns and three of their six state tournament titles. John has a dual meet record of 294-32 at Damascus, having guided the Swarmin’ Hornets to 10 of their 19 county tournament titles.
In addition to wrestling for their father at Damascus, John Allan and Timothy played football and lacrosse.
Before graduating from Damascus in 2018, John Allan quarterbacked two state championship teams for the Hornets, finishing with an undefeated record at that position. Timothy, who stands 6-foot-1, graduated from Damascus in 2020 as a line-backing member of state championship football teams during his sophomore and senior seasons. During his time wrestling at Damascus John Allan never experienced a dual meet loss. John Allan participated in three dual state title-winning teams and three tournament state championship teams. Wrestling at 152 pounds, John Allan won two county titles and placed third and fourth in the states.
“Witnessing both my brothers win state championships was so rewarding because I know all of the sacrifice and hard work they put in to get there," said John Allan, now coaching at Parkside High School on the Eastern Shore. "As an older brother, you get to see your younger siblings mature and grow from a unique lens. Timothy and Nathan worked so hard in the off season preparing for football and lacrosse, and their work ethic transitioned very nicely into wrestling season."
In wrestling, Timothy competed at 160, 182 and 195 pounds over the course of his sophomore, junior and senior seasons, and was a part of four state dual championship teams and one state tournament title winner. Individually, Timothy was a four-time county champion, three-time regional title-winner and won a pair of individual state championships in three title match berths.
"Wrestling has been a part of my whole family’s life. My brothers and I started wrestling around the age of four. We have been on the same team and competed together," Timothy Furgeson said. "I was very fortunate to wrestle for my dad, John Furgeson, coach Eddie Obendorfer and coach Troy Lawrence. They have been some of the biggest role models in my life. They helped me grow into a man."
In lacrosse, John Allan was a defensive midfielder, earning the Most Valuable Player Award as a senior. As a team captain in lacrosse, Tim was named First-Team All-County as a sophomore and junior before Covid cost him his senior season. Timothy was a face-off specialist, an offensive and defensive midfielder and played long pole in man-down situations.
"If there is one phrase to describe our family, it’s tough unconditional love," John Allan Furgeson said. "We are always there for each other, but we definitely are going to let you know if you’re slacking and need to lock in."
That competitiveness trickled down to baby brother, particularly in wrestling.
"The Damascus wrestling team became my second family, where I thrived both as an athlete and as a person," Nathan Furgeson said. "The coaches and teammates there played a pivotal role in shaping not just my wrestling skills, but also my character. They instilled in me qualities like toughness, intelligence, and virtue that will always be a part of me."
But when it came to choosing a high school, Nathan picked Landon.
"Leaving Damascus was one of the hardest decisions I've ever made. The new and better opportunities Landon offered were too good to pass up," Nathan said. "But there was always something special about the atmosphere in that practice room at Damascus. It was a place where I felt truly at home, where I could push myself to new limits and be creative. Even at Landon I still find time to roll around in the Damascus practice room."
John Furgeson followed Nathan to Landon where he also coached football.
"Nathan couldn’t pass up an incredible opportunity to attend Landon school. It was hard for me to let him go, but this was his decision, and it has been the right one for him," said John Furgeson, the Bears' linebacker coach for the past three seasons. "I have had the opportunity to coach him in football at Landon and watch from time to time in wrestling, and all the time in lacrosse. I have been completely blown away by his success in the classroom and in the world of athletics. He has taken every opportunity and exceeded all expectations."
Nathan was a quarterback and safety on the Bears' football team last fall.
In the Bears' season-ending 36-14 victory over St. Albans Nathan Furgeson completed 12 of 19 passes for 175 yards and two touchdowns, rushed 10 times for 86 yards, and on defense made 14 tackles, intercepted one pass, and disrupted two others in a victory that helped the Bears claim a share of the Interstate Athletic Conference title.
Nathan also punted three times for a 38-yard average against St. Albans, being honored as the Military Bowl DC Touchdown Club High School Football Player of the Week. On March 3, Nathan was named the Bears' Most Valuable wrestler at Landon's winter athletic banquet. Nathan has won a pair of IAC Conference crowns in three title bout appearances. A team captain, Nathan has also placed sixth, third and first in the past three Maryland Independent Schools State tournaments (MIS).
The youngest Furgeson was among the Bears' two state champions along with James Hanley (126) for a team ranked seventh in the state by Legacy Wrestling. The Bears placed 24th out of 128 schools at this year's season-ending National Preps Tournament, where Nathan went 2-2 for a season-ending record of 32-8 and a career mark of 83-31.
"Nathan getting a state championship was very fun to watch," Timothy Furgeson said. "He has been able to excel in every aspect of his life. I’m excited to watch him continue to reach his goals while playing lacrosse for the University of Delaware."
In other events, Nathan placed fourth and second at the past two Damascus Invitational tournaments, fourth and second in the past two Ray Oliver Tournaments at McDonogh and second at the Melee On The Metro.
Nathan was also a member of that Bears' IAC championship team. The Bears earned their third title in a row and fifth in the past six years, also placing sixth in the Maryland Independent state tournament.
"Nathan never stepped down from a challenge and always found a way to succeed in his own unique way," Katz said. "Nathan played a critical role in our success. He loved performing under pressure. and is even keeled no matter how intense the situation."
Nathan's crowning achievement in wrestling was in the MIS finals, where he vanquished Calvert Hall senior Sisto Averno III by overcoming a one-point deficit on a third-period reversal for a 2-1 decision victory. Ranked third at 175 pounds, Averno was a two-time Maryland Interscholastic Association champion.
"Nathan’s state title was very special. Our whole family was able to make it because of the snow. We were all on the edge of our seats as if we were getting ready for the big match ourselves. Nathan went out and wrestled his style and was able to end up on top," John Furgeson said. "We all were very excited and lived every toss and turn with Nathan through the six-minute battle. Whenever Landon wasn’t practicing, Nathan was at Damascus practicing with us and his brothers, especially over the holidays. We all were very excited for him to see that all of the hard work paid off in more ways than one."